Whoops. So it looks like the Lakers are having a few regrets about not running the Mike Brown hiring by Kobe before pulling the trigger. Why would you want to discuss who your franchise player and future Hall-of-Famer would be playing under for at least the next year? It’s not like he had endorsed another candidate in the Lakers’ head-coaching race (oh wait). It’s also not like he’s been a pivotal player in five of the organization’s championships (oh wait again). Is this a hint of things to come? Are the Lakers already planning for a Kobe-less future? Can’t they make one more solid run for the ring? Not according to Magic (a buddy of Lakers owner Jerry Buss), who claimed this team needed to get “blown up.” Buss said he did follow Kobe’s “defense first” recommendation, but was sorry he didn’t inform Bryant that he was going with Brown. We’ve all seen what Kobe can be like when a teammate screws up, but what happens when it’s the owner? … Jason Terry came out and said he’ll get his tattoo of the Larry O’Brien trophy removed from his right arm if the Mavs don’t bring home the real one this year. He got the tattoo at a get-together at DeShawn Stevenson‘s place in Orlando before a preseason game. Apparently, Stevenson had his own personal tattoo artist at the soiree. Terry says that he’s “very superstitious” and that he’ll believe the tattoo is bad luck if they lose. The real bad luck might have been drawing LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the Finals. And Jet, we generally don’t recommend taking tattoo advice from a dude with a giant $5 bill inked across his throat. Nobody should like Lincoln that much … While some persist nothing is official yet, sources are telling ESPN that the Detroit Pistons will be breaking up with head coach John Kuester. This isn’t a huge surprise considering Kuester had issues with just about everyone on the Pistons roster this year â€“ to the point where a bunch of vets boycotted a midseason practice. If you add in their 30-52 record, and the fact that he’s 50 games under .500 in the two years he’s been in Motor City, that looks to us like a great way to get yourself canned. Ironically, Kuester is a possibility as a Laker assistant … We’re not saying it matters, but D-Wade, Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem and James Jones were all held out of Heat practice today. It’s probably not serious (except maybe for Jones, who barely played in the Chicago series), but these guys all looked to be struggling through some pain in the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s really pretty crazy to think about all that Miami has accomplished (58 wins, an NBA Finals berth in their first full year playing together) with all the injuries they’ve had to deal with. They’ve been like the New York Mets of hoops (minus the crazy owner). Imagine if your team had to go extended periods of time without two of their top five rotation guys. They’d be in the cellar faster than that homeless guy that hangs around your block. Maybe the injury bug flying around South Beach is bad karma they racked up with the whole championship-style-celebration-before-the-regular-season-even-started deal. Just something to keep an eye on until Tuesday night … Apparently, J.R. Smith was arrested this weekend in Miami for operating a scooter without a valid license. That doesn’t even need a joke … And is anyone at all surprised that Ron Artest had Dennis Rodman in his top five players of all-time (ahead of MJ)? That wasn’t even the most surprising thing he tweeted, somehow including Venus Williams in his “Top five best buttocks glutes of all time” … We’re out like Kuester.

Now, just imagine this team playing together ,,, And the possibility of finish the game with the big 3 plus or Haslem or Dalembert, and the other small guy that is hiting the open 3 (Miller or Bibby or Chalmers or JJ)

05.30.11 at 1:28 am

First & Foremost

Even though Deshawn has the tattoo, Subway still won’t put him in the commercial.

FIVE… FIVE DOLLAR… FIVE DOLLAR FOOTLONG…

05.30.11 at 1:29 am

Young Gunner

I think people are over-reacting to the Mike Brown hiring. Is all the hoopla really necessary? Last I checked, Kobe doesnt personally make the personal moves. Mike Brown is a capable coach and has a good track record so LA “SHOULD” be fine. Who cares if Kobe is griping about it? (Kobe stans of course)

LOL at comparing the Heat to the Mets. Can we say “reach”?

05.30.11 at 1:55 am

beiber newz

hey young gunner ^^^ if you wanna kno who ‘cares’ about it: jim buss – the one who actually made the turnaround to say he f’d up.

and me.

and a ton of other fans who would want to see any drama in LA cease.

if people know kobe’s tendencies to being slighted, y wouldnt one want to minimize any turmoil or seeds of turmoil.

kobe aint gettn no younger.

now i’m not gettin at you, but if you as a GM for instance, felt in your heart that your star player might feel any way with how something went down, wouldn’t you at least want to partake in subduing that negative energy?

you as the GM would be the one who cares. cuz if anything sour resulted from it, who would they blame? they would look backon this very situation and say la’s problems stemmed from may 2011 when the people in charge fluked on kobe bean bryant.

05.30.11 at 1:59 am

Big Hook

As a Celtics fan I hope we sign JR and keep him away from the Lakers, an athletic shooter off the bench can put them over the top again.

05.30.11 at 2:03 am

beiber newz

is kobe the wayne gretzky of the nba RIGHT NOW ? in terms of royalty?

05.30.11 at 2:08 am

beiber newz

hmmmmmmmmmm big hook. you might be on to something. jr would be GREAT on any championship team. ESPECIALLY the lakers becuase i’ve watched every laker game and i was never particularly happy with their 3pt shooting or shooters. but he is the type that would probably do something to get on kobe’s nerves in regard to multiple bone-headed plays. if kobe is truly the leader he has lead the public to believe he’s evolved to become, then he should find a way to cope, engage and lead jr to championship character and caliber.

in light of that:

who would laker nation rather have: jamal crawford/jr smith or a tyson chandler/sam dalembert

as in, knowing the lakers struggles with offense off the bench/3pt shooting would one still take a rebounder/shot blocker as a mid level exception signing ?

05.30.11 at 3:34 am

uqk

trade mike brown to other team for a starting PG

05.30.11 at 4:21 am

sh!tfaced

LOL. Gotta be shitting me. Did Artest even pick LeBron ahead of Kobe?

And Starbury and Arenas are among the best PGs of all-time (ahead of Magic).

Maybe if Ron shows us the full list, we’ll prolly see the players like Delonte, Alvin Robertson, Vernon Maxwell, Stephen Jackson, Sheed and Spree…

05.30.11 at 8:19 am

iCARNACKi

I’m out like your originality after stealing that saying from SLAM.

05.30.11 at 8:43 am

Sam

In my mind this was a really good move by the Lakers. Rather than consult Kobe about the next coach only to have him say Brian Shaw, they went ahead and made what they felt was the right move and then wiped their hands clean by publicly apologizing to Kobe for not asking him.

Still a little unclear why they don’t want to give the job to Brian Shaw, though- if so many of these guys think he’s capable, maybe the Lakers are concerned that the players and their potential head coach might be too buddy-buddy.

05.30.11 at 9:05 am

That's What's Up

kobe is an employee, an employee whose performance is starting to slip.
lakers can do what they want, except win the title in two weeks

05.30.11 at 9:09 am

That's What's Up

I can’t believe Artest had Rick Mahorn ahead of Venus Williams.

travesty…

05.30.11 at 9:35 am

Skeeter McGee

Kobe is not just any employee… he’s like the Head Executive while others are entry-level or mailboys. You gotta run the coaching decision by Kobe. At least get his input on Brown, doesn’t mean you don’t have to hire the guy you want. Things are starting to get interesting in Laker-land. Apparently Andrew Bynum is “untouchable,” according to Buss? That’s a little ridiculous. Even if it means getting Dwight Howard somehow in return? Kobe about to have his “ship his ass out…” shit come back real soon!

05.30.11 at 9:49 am

Young Gunner

@Beiber news:

He has no reason to act like that. Just sounds a little like bitchassness on Kobe part. Buss isnt gonna hire some slouch so Kobe has NOTHING to complain or worry about. If Lakers fans care enough, then why not stage a mutiny on the owner and team that the guy they wanted didnt get hired?

05.30.11 at 10:02 am

top_gun

LeBron EXPOSED by Tim Donahue!!

05.30.11 at 10:12 am

doc

Kobe will be okay. He falling off anyway.Fuck what he want.

05.30.11 at 10:39 am

control

Young Gunnner

“Buss isnt gonna hire some slouch” You did hear they hired Mike Brown eh? Lakers went out and hired exactly as you said they “isnt gonna hire”.

Mike Brown is a piece of shit coach. Guy has horrible rotations, substitutions, game time adjustments, terrible at anything to do with offense and can’t control or motivate players.

Kobe gonna walk all over this clown, which will kill team chemistry and implode the team. Great signing for the rest of the league though…

05.30.11 at 11:22 am

Skeeter McGee

^ co-sign.

05.30.11 at 11:51 am

sh!tfaced

haha. what control said.

and with Kuester as a possible assistant. another great signing for the league…

05.30.11 at 12:23 pm

JAY

These boards are going to be dead today. The US guys aren’t in the office.

@top_gun
Yup. But I didn’t need dude to tell me that Cuban will be screaming at the refs for LBJ’s travels.

05.30.11 at 12:35 pm

Young Gunner

See what im saying. Everyone is overreacting. Brown was lucky to have the success he had in Cleveland. It was Lebron and a bunch of odds and ends. You cannot compare the rosters Cleveland had when Brown was there to what LA had during that same time period. He worked with what he had and got absolutely the most he could out of it. Imagine what he could do with a better roster in LA. Let the man get his feet wet with this team before you crucify him

05.30.11 at 12:49 pm

BrandonDNH

He couldn’t get it wet, that’s the problem! (That’s what she said)

05.30.11 at 1:32 pm

beiber newz

Young gunner it’s not necesarily about fans staging a mutiny as it is the principal of how dirty it went down. the fact that the lakers of ’10-’11 season had rumors all year of chem issues is key. So as a fan I would be concerned, as u shud as well, with ANY drama ENTERING the ’11-12 season. Starting off with beef between the STAR player and HEAD COACH is detrimental. Especially when some1 like kobe is so philosophical, somethin like not running by a signing of a man replacing kobe’s well known/long time head coach is pretty dumb. The one thing people can’t make a case for is da fact that NOTHING is wrong with consulting kobe. Maybe people can and hav made a case for why THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON to do so, but no one has made a good case for why it would be bad if they had consulted him.

05.30.11 at 1:40 pm

Atom

“And Jet, we generally don’t recommend taking tattoo advice from a dude with a giant $5 bill inked across his throat”

Actually, I read that even Deshawn didn’t think it was a good idea and thought Terry was crazy for getting that tattoo on his arm. It is generally a bad sign when a guy with lincoln on his neck and a crack tattooed on his forehead thinks your ink is too crazy.

Same article was also talking about stevenson’s private chef and private tattoo artist being at the party. Gotta love the NBA, where even a scrub like Deshawn Stevenson has a personal tattoo artist. How long after he is out of the league before he goes bankrupt? No way he goes 10 years without squandering all his cash

05.30.11 at 1:50 pm

beiber newz

jay are you that insecure that you choose to make fun of some1 who had no problems with you to make yourself seem more superior? sounds pretty bad on your part. i don’t know why i’ve become the spotlight of your life that you hope that a nickname ‘catches on’. sounds like you r seeking other men’s approval for your lust to have something ‘catch on’. y do u seek acceptance? are you not as popular as you want to be? do you hide in front of your laptop making fun of people you dont know? the only thing you know about me is my internet dime comment name. and yet you choose to involve yourself in drama stemming from ‘that’s what’s up’ ignorant comment. you seek acceptance from other men is sad and makes you a follower. that is pathetic.

“jay are you that insecure that you choose to make fun of some1 who had no problems with you to make yourself seem more superior”
Yes. Thanks Tits.

05.30.11 at 2:02 pm

JAY

@ beibz
For real though, all jokes aside. I didn’t mean no harm bud. I’m just bored at work. I’m a nobody to you, so don’t let me phase you.
Kinda like your #30 response to me. I don’t give a shit about you, so whatever you say to me means nothing. Do you know how many people thought calling me “GAY” was original?

I’ll drop the “Tits” thing. I just thought it was funny. Now I see it actually bothers you a bit, so I’ll leave it alone.

But seriously, if some dude’s nickname was Tits, you wouldn’t think that’s funny? Fuck, I do. Maybe DIME should do away with the “Gooch” name for Big Baby and we’ll just call that dude Tits. Tits Davis.

05.30.11 at 4:21 pm

rook

for those hating on Kobe, remember that MJ did the same thing w/ the Bulls personnel & teammates back in the day. It still doesn’t make it right but at least it shows that this ish happens all the time in pro sports. I don’t think he should have final approval, but at least run it by dude…

05.30.11 at 4:56 pm

Young Gunner

So them not telling Kobe is considered “dirty”? Thats like saying Kobe is bigger than the team itself. Maybe Derek Fisher should be mad too because he wasnt consulted either. Looks like Kobe’s ego strikes again. And Im not a Lakers fan but this does bother me that an employee needs to be consulted for who his (for lack of a better word) “manager” is but hey it is what it is

05.30.11 at 5:18 pm

beiber newz

@ jay..nice to know people can take the high road in 2011.
i don’t like problems, especially internet beef. it’s kinda corny. i stay clear of it. unless severely provoked. i’ll take your apology (or whatever it is) cuz the world won’t be a better place unless we become better people.

05.30.11 at 5:44 pm

K Dizzle

Maaaaan, even the Kobe haters are bored today.

this is what’s known as common sense. You sign your franchise player to a 90 mil extension, based mostly on the fact that he’s made the franchise more than 10 times that over his career. If you gonna hire a coach, common sense says maybe inform said franchise player that that’s the direction you’re headin. You don’t need his permission, you just lettin him know what time it is.
There’s a reason this fool Jim Buss backpedalin like Melo at MSG….back then.
What I’m trippin on is dude had to have learned from The Logo and Jerry Buss n your first move is to tick off your franchise? Jerryshoulda just gave the control over to Jeannie cuz Jim messin up.

And for the fools callin Kobe an employee, give your heads a shake. Mike Brown is an employee. Luke Walton is an employee. When the said player is makin more money than anybody but the owner, yu better check with him first before you tell him who he gonna be ballin for.

Kobe an employee? LMAO! What you think, Lakers are a Mickey Ds? GTFOH with that low-level thinkin. This a multi-billion dollar business and the Mamba is a top earner.
Common courtesy. Common sense.

05.30.11 at 5:48 pm

beiber newz

k-dizzle:

“And for the fools callin Kobe an employee, give your heads a shake. Mike Brown is an employee. Luke Walton is an employee. When the said player is makin more money than anybody but the owner, yu better check with him first before you tell him who he gonna be ballin for.”

THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST POINTS ANYYYYYONE HAS MADE.

05.30.11 at 5:49 pm

beiber newz

^^^IN BUSINESS TERMS, KOBE IS LIKE THE ULTIMATE PREFERRED PARTNER IN THE LAKER BUSINESS.

05.30.11 at 6:04 pm

beiber newz

I THINK MIKE BROWN WILL BE THE TOM THIBODEAU OF THE ’11-2012 SEASON. BUT WITH AN EXTREMLY BETTER CAST. expect kobe to play around 32 minutes (celtics’ age management treatment) possibly 36 but relatively rarely threatening for a 40 minute night.

what i’m more curious about and what NO ONE is talking about is how this new coach will treat 6th man of the year lamar odom. WILL HE BE A STARTER ONCE AGAIN?

05.30.11 at 7:06 pm

That's What's Up

Whatever. Kobe is an NBA player and when your game leaves so does the interest in you.
Ask Shaq, Hakeem, Ewing , Jordan, Iverson, long list of others, etc…
You ain’t shit unless you’re successful, and profitable for your company

05.30.11 at 7:06 pm

Young Gunner

Lakers fans feelings are hurt today I see. Look up the word “employee” and see if Kobe doesnt fit the description. Just because Kobe is making more than Luke Walton, doesnt make it any different

05.30.11 at 8:00 pm

control

Mike Brown the new Thibs, bahahahahahahahahaha

Short of some of the dumb shit Tyrone used to say, that is the stupidest shit I’ve heard on this site. I’m calling it now, the Lakers will struggle to make the playoffs, and might not make it. Mike Brown will probably be fired as a result.

@ Control – $100.00 Canadian(cuz it worth more) on that Lakers will struggle to make the playoffs bet…..if there’s a season. I know how you like to believe the Cavs sucked “without Lebron” even though there were actually 5 players that bounced…and 4 other players went down with injuries, but ok.

Arguments are just weak today. I’m readin about Luke Walton just as important as Kobe or a 55+win team bringin everybody back gonna “struggle” to make the playoffs lol

Y’all can’t even push buttons right. at least Austin sounds like he actually believes the arguments he pull out.
I’m out. Bruhs down south, enjoy your Memorial Day.
Canadian bruhs, get outta the house and enjoy some fresh air.

05.31.11 at 12:04 am

QQ

Just wanna give my props to the fallen troops today.

Slow, slow day in Dime…

ONE. MORE. DAY.

As Leroy ‘I’m a TRUE fan even though I showed up only after we sweep the Lakers’ Green:

MAVS BITCHES!

05.31.11 at 3:15 am

beiber newz

REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT KOBE IS AN EMPLOYEE, HE IS STILL AN IMPORTANT ONE. WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF THE LAKERS, THEY DON’T THINK ABOUT JIM BUSS, JERRY BUSS, ETC. THEY THINK OF KOBEEEEEEEE!

SO, YES, KOBE IS TECHNICALLY A EMPLOYEE, BUT HE IS THE “FACE” OF THE ENTIRE FRANCHISE. HE IS THE GUY BRINGING IN THE MONEY!! HOW MANY PEOPLE BUY TICKETS BECAUSE OF NUMBER 24???

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL SELL A TICKET IF THEY HEAR KOBE WONT PLAY IN THAT GAME? HOW MANY TICKETS WILL THE LAKER ORGANIZATION SELL IF KOBE GOES DOWN WITH SEASON ENDING SURGERY???

KOBE IS THEE MAN IN LA. it’s hard to comprehend that people tryto overlook this and cite kobe’s disintegration. so! he is the reason the lakers make money!!!! 10 yrs from now it’ll be sopme other dude. but will that dude have the same aura kobe brings?

every1 will agree that kobe’s talent is “generational”.
it wouldve been a good idea to hear kobe out. doesnt mean they wouldve caved in to his beckon call, but at least have some decency, hold some principal, and show some respect for the man who will probably retire a laker. the man YOUR team drafted. thae man who brought you the last wo championships. the man who puts butts int your seats. the man who makes your franchise RELEVANT.

jim buss was trying to exercise his power of his daddy turning the franchise over to him. haha not a good start buddy jim.

05.31.11 at 8:05 am

JAY

“@ Control – $100.00 Canadian(cuz it worth more)”

^^^^ BAAAHAHAAHAHAH!!!! Awesome. if only all americans were as knowledgeable is Dizzle. I’ve seen Us tourists take out their US money and argue that it’s worth more. My goodness. You’d figure, prior to traveling, people would check the exchange rates. Complete IDIOTS!!

05.31.11 at 8:14 am

JAY

“Kobe is an NBA player and when your game leaves so does the interest in you.
You ain’t shit unless you’re successful, and profitable for your company.”

^ There’s two assumptions made in those statements. Kobe’s game has left…. and he isn’t successful, and hasn’t been profitable for the Lakers. Crazy talk.

05.31.11 at 9:59 am

dagwaller

I can’t believe that no one brought up the last couple personnel moves that Kobe recommended.

Let’s see…run Shaq out of town (title for him).
Run Phil out of town (no titles for years).
Try to trade Bynum (who then helped win 2 titles for him).

Yea, let’s put Kobe on the same level as Jordan in one aspect at least: he ain’t no general manager.

05.31.11 at 1:13 pm

Young Gunner

Kobe wasnt drafted by LA but anyways……He’s the face of the the franchise but he doesnt run the team so my point still stands. Thank you